Heated asphalt roller device



Dec. 18, 1962 E. c. CAUFIELD HEATED ASPHALT ROLLER DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheef 1 Filed July 31, 1959 FIG.

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EDWARD c. CAUFIELD HIS ATTORNEY Dec. 18, 1962 E. c. CAUFIELD HEATED ASPHALT ROLLER DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 51, 1959 eo I INVENTOR.

. EDWARD c. CAUFIELD BY 777 W HIS ATTORNEY United States I atent 3,068,765 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 fltice This invention relates to heated asphalt roller devices which are hand operated and, more particularly, to a new and improved asphalt roller which is versatile and which operates in a highly satisfactory manner owing to the unique design of the interior of the roller, the mounting of the handle to the roller, the fuel feed to the roller burners, and the conspicuous absence of conventional roller radius bars.

In the past many attempts have been made to provide a satisfactory, manually operated, heated roller for rolling asphalt surfaces. Most of the rollers now in use, of which the inventor is aware, employ as fuel a keroseneand-air mixture, with the same being communicated to the roller burners which are directed to restricted areas of the roller interior. As a consequence, the exterior surface of the roller shell exhibits hot spots and relatively cold areas adjacent thereto. This nonuniformity in roller temperature generally results in unsatisfactory surfacing of asphalt areas. In a prior application (Serial No. 789,165, filed January 6, 1959, now Patent No. 2,990,755, and entitled Heated Asphalt Roller Device) the inventor has attempted to solve the several problems found in connection with conventional devices of the type described by devising a new machine. The present invention is an improvement upon that machine in that selective weighting of the roller is provided so as to obtain more compactness in asphalt rolling; the handle of the device is now pivotally coupled to the roller shaft in such manner that the conventional protruding, radius bars, which would otherwise prevent the roller from being used adjacent curbing, are not found in the structure; a fuel intake manifold connects the lower part of the handle of the device to the shaft in such a manner that the handle itself may serve to conduct fuel from the fuel supplying system of the device to the burners; and, the most important, the flame path within the roller is of restricted width so as to aid in concentrating flame heat directly and uniformly against the interior surface of the roller shell. Additionally, such bearing structure as is necessary in the device is mounted exteriorly of the roller itself and in being so situated is removed from the heat sources of the roller. In this way bearing elements do not become distorted by the heat of the roller burners;

thus, journalling of the roller shaft is much improved over structures hitherto devised.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved, heated asphalt roller device which will be highly reliable in operation.

A particular object of the present invention is to eliminate the use of conventional, roller radius bars and, instead, to mount the handle of the device to the roller shaft in such a manner that the handle itself may be used to conduct fuel from the tank supply to the burner jets.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide journalling means for the roller shaft of the heated asphalt roller in such amanner that the journalling means or bearings are not heated by the flame generation within the roller proper.

A further object of the present invention is to provide within the roller an interior chamber which may selectively contain weighting material for increasing the Weight of the roller; this chamber is dimensioned so as to reduce the flame travel path between it and the cylindrical roller shell, thereby serving to restrict flame travel and thus concentrate the same directly against the inner surface of the roller shell.

According to the present invention, interlaced spiral flames are generated in the manner disclosed in the copending application above noted. However, the fuel supply is connected through the conventional regulator and associated valves into the handle proper of the device. This portion of the handle is sealed off from the remainder of the telescoping handle so that there will be no leakage of fuel. The end of the lower portion of the handle fits directly over the inlet orifice of the manifold employed, itself an important item in the present invention. Thus, the mounting of the handle to the manifold serves not only to journal the handle to the roller shaft, but also to complete the fuel supply connection to the roller burners. The manifold is of a circular configuration, possessing a sleeve which is aflixed over appropriate bearings retained on the roller shaft. Thus, the roller structure turns via its shaft While the manifold, burners and handle remain stationary. Interlaced flames are produced as above described directly against the interior of the cylindrical roller shell of the device. The flame travel path is restricted owing to the inclusion within the roller shell of an inner cylinder or chamber which, in addition to restricting flame travel path, serves as means for including therewithin a charge of roller-weighting material such as sand. An end plate mounts this chamber to the roller shell, this end plate having a removable plug so that sand may be poured into the same and, alternatively, may be removed therefrom.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the.

amended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may thus be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, partially broken away for purposes of clarity, of the heated asphalt roller device of the present invention.

FIGURE 1A is a section taken along the line of 1A 1A in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 1B is a section taken along the line of 1B- 1B in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 1C is a fragmentary view taken along the arrow 10 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the device shown in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section of the roller assembly of the device.

FIGURE 3A is a view taken along the 3A--3A in FIGURE 3 and illustrates a representative vent in the left roller end plate of the roller assembly.

FIGURE 3B is a View taken along the line'3B3B in FIGURE 3 and illustrates a bearing mount of the device.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, elevational view of the manifold (i.e., manifold ring plus sleeve combination) which is employed to mount the handle of the device 7 to the roller shaft of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 4A is a sectional view taken along the line of 4A 4A in FIGURE.4 and illustrates the crosssection of the manifold ring and sleeve combination.

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of the manifold ring shown in FIGURE 4 less the flame jet elbows. 7

FIGURE 6 is an elevation, similar to FIGURE 5, illustrating the manifold, as ready for mounting to the roller shaft bearings illustrated in FIGURE 3. l

In FIGURES 1 and 2 the handle 10 of the device includes three principal members: A T-configured upper element 11, a handle sleeve 12, and a handle conduit or lower handle portion 13. Handle sleeve 12 is provided with the usual set screw 14 which is disposed through a tapped hole in the wall therein so that the T-configured upper element 11 may be fixed in a desired position relative' to the handle sleeve 12. it will be noted in FIG- URES l and 2 that the T-configurcd upper element 11 telescopes in and out of handle sleeve 12.

The connection of handle sleeve 12 to the lower handle portion 13 is important. It will be same with reference to FIGURE 1 that the lower portion of sleeve 12 is hollow and is provided with a plug 15 which is welded either to the end of handle sleeve 12 or directly within the lower portion 13 proper. If the latter, sleeve 12 may abut this plug 15 and is Welded into the upper end of lower handle portion 13. As will be explained hereinafter, the plug 15 prevents communication of gas fuel from the lower portion of the handle to the sleeve; hence, lower handle porton 13 may be used ideally for the communication of fuel from tank 16 to the fuel jets (or burner means) 17 and 18 of the device.

Conveniently supplied the lower surface of lower handle portion 13 is a stand rod 19 which is pivotally afiixed by pin 20 between the flanges 21 and 22 of stand bracket 23. See FIGURE 1B in this regard. When notin use, the prop 19 is retained at its lower end by a Z-configured spring 24 which is welded or otherwise affixed to lower handle portion :13 as is shown in FIG- URE 1A.

Again with reference to the FIGURES 1 and 2 it will be noted that the device is supplied with a barrel shaped, semi-enclosure casing 25 which is cylindiically configured and which possesses side extensions 26 and 27. A pn 2'8 anchors strap 29 to side extension 26 in a conventional manner. The remaining end of strap 29 is provided with a threaded end rod '36 and a wing nut 31 which cooperates with slotted bdacket 32 attached to side extention 27 in a conventional manner. Thus, the casing 25 in being welded or otherwise afiixed to handle portion 13 supplies a secure mounting for fuel tank 16. Also serving to releasably mount fuel tank 16 to the device is a saddle element 34 (welded to lower handle portion13) and a lower stop bracket 35 (welded to theQunder side of lower handle portion 13). See FIGURE 1C in this regard.

, Again withreference to FIGURES l and 2 it will be seen that, the lower, outwardly curved portion 36 of lower handle portion 13 connects to a manifold 37; Reference is now made to FIGURES 3 through 6. .The

manifold 37 includes a circular, semi-tubular casting 38 which is herein designated as a manifold ring, with the sleeve portion 39 sealing the inner side of the manifold ring 38 by appropriate welding. Thus, the

lower portion 36 of the lower handle portion '13 fits over the slot-ted orifice 40' of the manifold ring 3-8. When this is accomplished the slit 41'-is welded closed as is also the manifold ring 38 to the sleeve 39. Thus, the sleeve .39'serves to close the manifold ring area so that the same may serve its intended purpose. Threaded apertures 41 and 42 are provided at oppositesides'o-f the manifold ring 38 to'accommodate the placement therewithin of nipples 43 'and 44. These nipples acdesirable since the bearing operation is enhanced by removing the bearing elements. of the manifold from the heat generated within the roller by burner jets 17 and 18. e

. ment 59. This end 58 of the chamber is bored for the commodate the placement thereon of elbows 45 and 46,

respectively, to which the fuel jets 17' and 18 (shown in FIGURES. 1 and 3) attach; The manifold sleeve 39 is supplied with interior end recesses 49 and 50 which serve to mount the manifold'37 to theouter races of bearings 51 and 52. These cylindrical bearing members are mounted upon shaft 53 and a-re secured in place,

1 not only by the interior recesses of sleeve 39, but also by retainer rings 54 and their disposition with annular shaft recessess 55. 7 7

It is important to note that t-he entire bearing structure of the device is situatedwithout the interior of the roller itself, and, indeed, is quite removed from the same. This structual advantage has been found to bemost reception of shaft 53 which is welded thereto. The axis of shaft 53 serves, of course, as the axis of the entire roller. Cylindrical roller shell 60 is provided with a vented, roller end plate 61 which is supplied with vents 62 as shown in FIGURE 3A. The inner cylinder is welded to this roller end plate 61 as shown so that the same may be concentric with cylindrical roller shell 60. Disposed in the end of the roller end plate 61 is a threaded bore 62 which accommodates plug 63. Plug 63 is provided with a wrench fitting 64 (or perhaps an Allen wrench recess) so that the plug may be easily removed. Hence, the significance of the inclusion of chamber 56 becomes apparent: In use it is of course desirable for the roller de-. vice to be as heavy as possible, so as to exhibit the best possible performance in rolling heated asphalt. Thus,

plug is sufliciently large no tipping will be necessary to remove the material from the interior of the roller.

It will be noted with reference to FIGURES l and 4 that the elbows 45 and 46 and indeed the burner jets 17 and 18 of the burning apparatus are set in angulated directions, relatively speaking. producing flame spirals inbetween the chamber 56 and the cylindrical roller shell 60 which interlace, at least to" a degree, so as to heat the entire interior of the roller. In this regard it should be noted that, in additionto confining the weighting material, the chamber 56 in being quite large and inrestricting the annular area. between the same and the cylindrical roller. shell, serves to restrict the width of the flame travel path 65 so as to concentrate the flames and their heat directly against the inner wall 66 of the cylindrical roller shell 60.

As' to the conduction of the' gaseous fuel from tank' 16 to the burner jets 17 and 18, recourse to FIGURES l and 2 will be of aid. The tank .16-will have provided a main valve 67 which, when the tank is connected'to the apparatus of the device, will attach via tubing T toregulator 6S and from thence connect via a T-connection 69 to pressure gage 70 and also to valve 71 (which includes pilot and main valve controls 72 and 73, respectively). The outlet 74 of valve 71 connects to an elbow 75 which i itself attaches to nipple 76 leading'through casing 25 and the upper wall of lower handle portion 13 to the interior of thelatten; The gaseous fuel is thus conducted from nipple ,76'and through the remaining length of lower handle portion 13 to the inlet 40 of manifold-37. Notwithstanding the inclusion of flange 77 in the manifold,

it will be obvious that it is preferable to weld the lower portion 36 of lower handle portion 13 directly to the inlet orifict 40 of the manifold 37.

Quite naturally,'the face 78jof casing 25 is provided 'with apertures to admit the. control shafts of pilot and main valve controls 72 and 73 and alsoto provide an a d; mittance or viewing aperturet79 to accommodate the apf t V propriate placement of pressure gage 70, the latter being directly, mounted to the casing face 78'by conventional means. V x In practice, the tank which would contain a gaseous fuel such as propane, butane, or"n atural gas at atpr'essure of.

This is for the purposeof 30 to 190 pounds per square inch. Such pressure will be suflicient to generate flames 24 to 30 inches or so in length (with reference to the length of the roller).

Lastly, it will be noted in connection with FIGURES 1 and 3 that the absence of radius bars from the roller structure (to support a journal for the shaft) enables the roller to be used immediately adjacent curbing, walls, and similar structures.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall in the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A heated asphalt roller including, in combination a cylindrically configured roller shell having an inner wall; ballast chamber means coaxially aflixed to and within and proximate to said roller shell for releasably receiving a substance to increase roller weight and for confining flame path against said inner Wall of said roller shell, the annular space between said roller shell and said chamber means constituting a flame travel path; a shaft axially secured to the roller shell, chamber means combination; a handle pivotally connected to said shaft; burner means disposed in proximity with said inner wall of said roller shell for projecting flames between said roller shell and said chamber means the length of said roller shell; fuel supplying means affixed to said handle; and means coupled between said fuel supplying means and said burner means for conducting fuel from said fuel supplying means to said burner means, and wherein said shell has an open end, said burner means is disposed through said open end to project flame within said shell, said handle has a hollow lower portion in communication with said fuel supplying means and said burner means, said hollow lower portion thus constituting, in part, a fuel flow path therebetween, and wherein said fuel conducting means includes: a manifold rotatably encircling said shaft and connected to said lower portion of said handle and to said burner means, and bearing means mounting said manifold to said shaft, and wherein said manifold includes a sleeve portion atfixed to and circumscribing said bearing means.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said handle also includes a T-configured upper element and a sleeve slideably receiving said upper element, said sleeve including means for locking said T-configured upper element in place, said lower portion of said handle being afixed to 6 said sleeve but being blocked from interior communication therewith.

3. A heated asphalt roller including, in combination, a cylindrically configured roller shell having an inner wall and an open end; a vented plate secured to one end of said roller shell; an inner cylinder axially disposed Within but spaced from said roller shell and having an at least partially closed end and also an open end, the latter being afiixed to said end plate, said end plate being provided with a threaded aperture to provide exterior communication within said inner cylinder; a threaded plug releasably engaging said threaded aperture of said plate; a shaft axially affixed to said closed end of said inner cylinder; an annular manifold including an interior sleeve; bearing means mounted upon said shaft and journalling said shaft Within said manifold at said sleeve; a handle having a lower hollow portion afiixed in communicative relationship with said manifold; fuel supplying means affixed to said handle and connecting in communicative relationship with said lower handle portion; and burner means connecting to said manifold and disposed through said open end of said shell and situated in proximity with and directed toward the annular spacing between said roller shell and said inner cylinder.

4. In a manually operated, heated asphalt roller having a roller shell, hollow handle means for directing said roller shell in a desired direction and for conducting fuel to the vicinity of said roller shell, fuel supplying means fixedly disposed with respect to said hollow handle means and in fuel flow communication therewith, an axle aflixed to said roller, said hollow handle means having at its lower end an annular manifold rotatably encircling said axle and having a handle mounting, orifice portion secured to said handle and in fuel communication therewith, said manifold being provided with jet means directly interiorly into said roller shell, and bearing means journalling said axle within said manifold.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 524,939 Dennison Aug. 21, 1894- 1,237,634 Gratton Aug. 21, 1917 1,509,236 Greene Sept. 23, 1924 1,921,901 Anderson Aug. 8, 1933 2,597,062 Cardella May 20, 1952 2,626,496 Ritzert Jan. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 201,478 Australia Apr. 4, 1956 

